The Leo Valdez Song Collection
by Myra109
Summary: This is a series of one shots based off of songs about Leo and his relationships with others. NOT SONGFICS. The warnings will be before chapters.
1. The Reason

**_The Reason:_** ** _Coach Hedge was not perfect. Not by a long shot. But there was something about Leo's death that made him want to be better. Leo was the reason he is who he is today. Based off of the song by Hoobastank, OOC Coach Hedge_**

 _Hello, everyone. For those of you still reading this series, I'm sorry I haven't been here in a while. I've actually had this chapter done for months and forgot to post it. Don't worry, though; I'm trying to post more one shots._

 _Also, Leo did not meet Calypso because I needed him to be actually dead, and not brought back from the dead, so..._

 _Also, I have some individual one shots that are not apart of this story but are still apart of the series. I just decided to start putting the one shots in a story because it's more organized that way. If you love The Leo Valdez Song Collection, please check out these individual one shots:_

 _Wildest Dreams_

 _Skater Boy_

 _Savin Me_

 _Loved Her First_

 _If You Could See Me Now_

 _I'm With You_

 _I'll Be Home For Christmas_

 _How to Save a Life_

 _Because of You_

 _Already Gone_

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing_**

* * *

 _I'm not a perfect person_  
 _There's many thing I wish I didn't do_  
 _But I continue learning_  
 _I never meant to do those things to you_  
 _And so I have to say before I go_  
 _That I just want you to know_

 _I've found a reason for me_  
 _To change who I used to be_  
 _A reason to start over new_  
 _And the reason is you_

-"The Reason" by Hoobastank

* * *

Our story does not begin with Leo's death. No, it begins a little bit before that, exactly two weeks and three days before the explosion that ended Leo's life.

Coach was patrolling the halls as he did every night, peaking inside rooms to ensure that each demigod was safe in his or her bed like a good chaperone. And they all were... until he got to Leo's room.

If Hedge had been anyone else, he would've panicked, but that wasn't who Hedge was. He checked the bathrooms and the deck before making his way down to the control room.

That's where he found Leo, sketching some blue prints at his work table, tapping his foot in agitation.

Hedge leaned calmly against the doorframe, fiddling with his club. "You should really be asleep, cupcake."

Leo jumped, his pencils scattering and his hands flying to his tool belt as he spun around in his chair to face the coach.

He clapped a hand over his heart dramatically. "Geesh, Coach, give me a heart attack, why don't ya?!"

But Hedge barely comprehended his words.

Leo looked different, his skin paler than Hedge had ever seen it, and his clothes had definitely gotten baggier since Percy and Annabeth had fallen into Tartarus. But worst of all were his eyes. They were dull, lacking their usual spark, and sunken in, surrounded by dark circles and rimmed with red.

"What's wrong with you?" Coach asked as casually as he could. But even Coach, who was so laid back and easy going, was thrown by Leo's new appearance.

"Nothing, why? " Leo asked with a shrug.

"Kid, you look like you haven't slept since they fell into the Pit. What's going on?"

Leo shrugged his shoulders. "Just... memories. Worry for Percy and Annabeth."

Hedge snorted. "We're all worried for them, kid, but the rest of us haven't stopped eating and sleeping because of it."

"Well, it is my fault." Leo froze; he hadn't meant to say that! He must be more tired than he thought.

Coach frowned in confusion. "What do you mean? If it was anyone's fault, it was that spider lady's. What did you even have to do with it?"

"Coach, drop it."

"Leo-"

"I said drop it!" Leo muttered, his head leaning on his hand. "Look, I... I can't sleep. Nightmares, guilt, worry, stress... sleep is the last thing on my mind."

"It shouldn't be," Hedge pointed out. "You need it. What kind of nightmares are you having?"

"My mom's death, mostly, and Percy and Annabeth. That's about it," Leo replied.

"Well, I think I got something for that." Coach reached into his pocket and tossed Leo a very small bottle. "It's Dreamless Potion. I can make more of it, but the nightmares are rarely bad enough that the other cupcakes need it, so I make it a little at a time. One drop of that, and your nightmares will be gone all night."

Leo looked up shocked. "Thanks, Coach."

"Now, go get some sleep. You look dead on your feet."

He turned to walk out of the room before Leo called him back.

"Coach?"

He faced the teenager.

"I know you've been thinking about Mellie. Write to her, don't hesitate, because either you or she may not be here tomorrow," Leo advised. He unhooked an oval shaped necklace like a locket from around his neck and laid it on a shelf beside a framed picture of a beautiful woman holding a baby. "Don't forget that, Coach."

And Leo left.

* * *

*ONE WEEK AFTER BATTLE*

Little Chuck Leo Hedge waved his tiny hooves and pudgy hands as Hedge held him. No one except him and Mellie knew Chuck's middle name and they intended to keep it that way; Coach would never live it down!

Leo had died a few hours after Chuck was born and Coach found comfort only as he held his son.

Coach wasn't the same as he was before the war, or even during it. He was kinder, more openly caring; more like a loyal protector than a violent general. He blamed the change on the mission, but he knew that the change had been brought on by Leo.

There was just something about Leo that made him want to change for the better. Maybe it was because Leo was stronger than the other heroes in a way that was not seen as strength, but definitely was.

When Percy went missing, Annabeth flipped. She was constantly yelling at people, treating the Hephaestus kids like dogs as she worked them to death. And it wasn't that Annabeth was a bad person; she just didn't handle grief well.

Jason was strong, but he put his personal needs over the world. He wanted to keep Piper safe; he'd turn himself over to Gaea in the blink of an eye to protect her, even if it destroyed the world as we know it. He wanted to be a hero, he'd do it, even if it got him killed and jeopardized the fate of everyone. It's just who Jason was, and it didn't make him a bad person, but Coach wouldn't want him to be his second in command. Call him crazy, but that's the truth.

McLean... well, she was great, but she was afraid of her powers. Valdez was too, but he understood when he needed to use them and he did. Piper never used her powers, even if it would've saved them a lot of trouble.

Zhang was brave, but he was what Coach called territorial. If Valdez even stood within a foot of Levesque, Zhang would go in for the kill. Leo may have had a crush on Hazel once, but when he realized that she was Frank's girl, he backed off and Frank still didn't trust him. Hedge can only imagine how much that affected Leo.

And Levesque... she let her past get in the way, and even if it may be painful, they all had painful pasts. Valdez, Zhang, and Grace lost their moms; Piper and Annabeth rarely saw their dads. They didn't let their pasts affect them. Hazel broke Leo's heart by treating him like Sammy, saying that Sammy was better than him. She didn't know how to stop comparing her then and now.

Jackson was second in line, but just like Jason, he put his friends above the world. He'd die for Annabeth and wound up getting a hundred other people killed than watch her die and the world live. It was just how he worked, and loyalty was a good trait... unless it got out of hand.

Valdez, though... he knew when to be loyal to his friends and when to put the world first. He'd risked not only his own life in that explosion, but the lives of several others to rid the world of Gaea and allow the world to be safe... or at least safer. Even though he lost his mom, he didn't let that grief make him openly depressed like it did with some of the others. He took that sadness and he turned it into power and avenged his mother and all those that Gaea killed.

Coach Hedge brings his son to Leo's grave when Chuck is eight. He'd told Chuck stories of Valdez, but this is the first time Chuck will be seeing the grave of the war hero.

They stand there in respectful silence for a long time, but Hedge looses count. Finally, he instructs Chuck to return to camp where they were visiting Aunt Clarrise and the seven.

When Coach is alone, he sinks to his knees and gazes at the gravestone.

"I've changed for the better, Leo," he whispers. "I'm the best dad, best friend, best protector I could ever be. And the reason is you."

Coach leaves, but he's sure that he hears a laugh and a "You're welcome" from behind him.

To this day, he blames it on the wind.

* * *

 _I know the characters are OOC, especially Hedge, but I think deep down, he really cares for his cupcakes. After all, he saved them multiple times, so I just thought that off screen (off page?), he wasn't always the big tough guy we all know and love._

 _Alright, I'm going to list three of my ideas for one shots down below, and you can just vote in the reviews._

 ** _Leo and his mom- Flares by the Script_**

 ** _Leo and Gaea- Monster by Meg and Dia_**

 ** _Leo angst- Control by Halsey_**


	2. Who is in Control?

_I will be posting Flares next, and then Monster._

 **In public, he's the joker, the easy going, fun loving son of Hephaestus that can build anything. But when he's alone, no one hears his cry. Leo Valdez is falling apart at the seams, and Harley's death was the last straw. Or how BAMF Leo should've defeated Gaea. Control by Halsey, AU**

 **-Leo did not make an oath to Calypso**

 _ **Disclaimer: I own nothing**_

 _ **WARNINGS: DEPRESSION AND SEVERE ANGST, CHARACTER DEATHS**_

* * *

 _I'm bigger than my body_  
 _I'm colder than this home_  
 _I'm meaner than my demons_  
 _I'm bigger than these bones_

 _And all the kids cried out, "Please stop, you're scaring me"_  
 _I can't help this awful energy_  
 _God damn right, you should be scared of me_  
 _Who is in control?_

-"Control" by Halsey

* * *

Leo was the joker. The easy going, fun loving, and sometimes annoying son of Hephaestus, but even the strongest people can only take so much.

His mother died when he was eight.

( _He killed her. Oh, gods, he killed her. All his fault. All his fault_ )

He was passed around from foster home to foster home.

( _Unwanted, murderer, broken goods. Who would want him?_ )

He was abused. Bullied. Neglected. Broken.

( _He deserved it_ )

Jason and Piper-his so called friends- forgot about him; they only wanted to be with each other. They were _dating_ , after all. Who needs Repair Boy when you can have Beauty Queen or Superman?

( _You will always be the outsider, the seventh wheel. You will not find a place among your brethren_ )

Just when he thought he found a home at Camp Half Blood, he's sent away to fight in a war he doesn't want to be a part of.

( _"I don't want to hurt anybody!"_

 _"Wise choice..."_ )

Every night, he's awakened by a nightmare, replaying his mom's death over and over again.

( _His fault, his fault, his fault_ )

The prophecy isn't correct in Leo's mind. Seven demigods aren't needed. This is between him and Gaea.

( _"I cannot kill you. The Fates would not allow it, but they cannot stop me from breaking your spirit"_ )

He never told the seven about his feelings or his past or his personal relationship with Gaea.

( _They wouldn't care anyway_ )

You can only keep something bottled up for so long before it explodes.

* * *

Harley. Leo's little brother. His _favorite_ brother.

Dead.

Gaea had chuckled as she controlled the earth, swallowing Harley whole.

Harley's scream mingled with so many others, but Leo picked it out easily.

By the time he got there, Harley's body had returned to the surface, his eyes wide and empty; dirt filled his mouth and streaked across his skin. The earth had suffocated him.

Gaea had buried him alive.

( _burn_ )

Leo felt rage boil beneath his skin, and the nearest monsters crumpled to dust from the sheer heat rolling off of the demigod.

( _Burn_ )

He could sense heat beneath his feet, _far_ beneath his feet; maybe he'd always been able to sense it, but for the first time, Leo felt like he could _reach_ it.

( _BURN_ )

The ground became unbearably hot. Monsters became dust; demigods hopped around, their shoes melting into the grass.

"Leo!"

Leo turned and saw Nico standing behind him.

( _He understands. He keeps things bottled up, too. They have the same haunted, broken eyes_ )

Nico grabbed Harley off of the ground, carrying the dead body.

"Let go," Nico whispered before shadow traveling the body to the beach, where the small body would be out of harm's way.

Harley deserved a proper burial...

 _"Let go."_

( **BURN!** )

Lava erupted from the ground, spraying from crevices in the earth. Fire rolled off of Leo, crashing into monsters and enemy demigods. Campers ran for their lives, abandoning their weapons and their honor and their bravery as they fled to the beach, the only place where the fire would not reach.

( _Harley's body was there. Even after death, Leo was protecting his baby brother_ )

Monsters squealed and tried to run, but they burned up anyway.

The only monsters that remained were the Cyclopses, who smirked and marched through the fire, completely undeterred.

Leo picked up a dagger from the ground and held it at his side, not even raising it.

One Cyclops smirked as he raised his club and prepared to smash Leo's head into a hundred pieces.

Leo stabbed the Cyclops in the stomach, and it became dust.

Three Cyclopses (undoubtedly the smart ones) turned and ran. The six that remained didn't remain for long before they returned to Tarturas.

The battle field was empty except for two individuals. Leo was one...

And Gaea was the other.

Gaea chuckled. "I'll admit. I'm impressed, but I am no ordinary monster, boy. You know that."

"You also know that I'm no ordinary demigod, " Leo fired back.

Gaea smiled. "That, I do."

Leo smirked and raised one hand into the air.

Flames exploded from his finger tips, stretching into the sky, filling the air with smoke and obscuring the blue color above.

Gaea frowned. "What was that supposed to do?"

As if on cue, a ROAR! sounded, and then, Festus was flying towards the pair from above, diving into a little swoop.

Leo had rebuilt the body of his metallic dragon and had created a button that would trigger Festus to be released from the Argo II. He'd pressed it right before he'd practically burned down the camp, taking Gaea's army with it.

Leo hopped onto Festus before the dragon's claws even skimmed the ground, and Happy the Dragon swooped through the air to grab Gaea in his claws. Gaea didn't even have time to react.

Gaea hollered and punched at the metal, but she was out of her territory. The earth below stopped swirling and undulating; she was in the sky now, and her powers were limited.

Festus flew into the sky, and Leo stared down at the campers, who gazed back in terror. They were afraid of him. Of scrawny Leo Valdez. They were scared of the lost cause, the outsider, the lowly Repair Boy.

( _They should be scared of him_ )

Eventually, they reached a height where the campers on the beach were only small dots, and Leo smirked.

( _Time to burn_ )

He slid off of Festus's back, oddly calm as he gripped kinks in the metal and skidded down the celestial bronze until he was face to face with Gaea.

When he looked down, he saw the ground hundreds of feet below, and he knew that if he lost his grip, Leo Valdez would be no more.

He's usually afraid of heights, but today, there is no fear. Only revenge.

( _She killed your mother and your brother. She deserves to burn_ )

Gaea clawed at his face, but he was smart enough to remain out of reach.

"You... You..." she sputtered. "I will kill you, demigod!"

"Not if I kill you first," Leo responded, undeterred by the threat.

Gaea laughed. "I'm immortal. I cannot be killed."

"Oh, trust me, I know that. I'll make you wish you were dead," Leo said with as much conviction as he could muster.

Gaea actually looked afraid.

( _burn_ )

His eyes lit on fire, much like the eyes of Ares behind his sunglasses. If you thought that feature was intimidating on Ares, he had nothing on a fire user.

( _Burn_ )

His body was heating up, going into a temperature that he'd never reached before. It was so hot, he could almost feel the burn; he probably would have if he wasn't so distracted.

( _BURN_ )

Flames were licking his hair and fingers. Gaea struggled harder. Even Festus whimpered at the stony gaze of his friend.

( **BURN!** )

Flames rolled off of Leo, but these were no ordinary flames. These were a mixture of bright orange, deep red, and the white-blue color of intense heat.

Green flames swirled in the air. Greek fire. Leo didn't even know he could conjure Greek fire until today.

Black fire enveloped them. Emotional fire. Emotional fire is a fire that feeds on emotions. It makes others feel the emotions that the fire user feels; the stronger the emotion, the stronger the fire.

Down on the ground, campers screamed as unnatural amounts of loneliness, heart break, insecurity, and just utter pain hit them. Even Percy, Annabeth, and Nico-survivors of Tarturas- were screaming in emotional agony. Chiron, who had seen so much in his lifetime, sobbed. It was a wonder no one went insane.

Several minutes passed, and the fire died in the sky.

For a moment, there was nothing.

Then, Festus dove out of the sky, smoking and whimpering and with metal bent in a few places. Gaea was gone, and there was a lone figure on his back.

Jason and Piper raced forward to pull their best friend down, but they knew he was dead the moment they touched him.

He was cold, as though every ounce of heat in his body had abandoned him.

Leo Valdez was dead.

* * *

The gates of Elysium opened, and the boy who had been through too much in his sixteen years was reunited with his mother and little brother.

Leo Valdez was happy, at last.

* * *

 _Did you like the format? I've never written a one shot in that format before, so I was unsure about it._

 _I know Leo is OOC, but that was intentional._

 _That's for reading!_


	3. Sending Out Flares

_Here's the next chapter. The next chapter will be Monster by Meg and Dia._

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing_**

 ** _WARNINGS: ABUSE, DEPRESSION, ATTEMPTED SUICIDE_**

 **Esperanza may be dead, but she watches. She watches Leo struggle through life, through pain, through love, through guilt. She can't interfere, but she sends up flares and hopes that Leo see them. Flares by the Script**

* * *

 _But did you see the flares in the sky?_  
 _Were you blinded by the light?_  
 _Did you feel the smoke in your eyes?_  
 _Did you, did you?_  
 _Did you see the sparks filled with hope?_  
 _You are not alone_  
 _'Cause someone's out there, sending out flares_  
-"Flares" by The Script

* * *

Pain. Terror. Regret.

She was dying. Flames licked at her skin, and screams left her mouth; she'd stopped making an effort to stop screeching after the first five minutes.

She could still hear her son, her baby, her Leo, sobbing on the other side of the metal door.

He was losing his mother; he had no one except for her.

Pain enveloped her entire being; ugly burns appeared on her body; the scent of burning hair and flesh and clothing filled the air. Smoke suffocated her.

Terror ran through her veins. A part of her always knew she was going to die before she reached old age, but nothing could prepare her for this. Nothing could prepare her for being burned alive.

Regret flooded her system. She'd never get to tell Leo it wasn't his fault. She'd never get to tell him she loved him. She'd never get to hug him or kiss him again.

She'd tried to live her life like she'd die tomorrow, but as she slipped away, she still regretted every single word she'd left unsaid.

She just wanted one last moment with her son, her pride and joy.

But it was too late. The pain vanished, and she glanced up to see DOA Recording Studios staring back.

The judges were waiting.

* * *

Regret. Guilt. Loneliness.

"You are a diablo! A disgrace! A murderer!" His aunt Rosa screamed, sobbing.

"Tia, lo siento. I didn't mean-"

(Lo siento= I'm sorry)

"You didn't mean to kill her? I don't care! You killed my sister! Take him away!" She shouted at his social worked, Mr. Blake.

Martin Blake sighed before taking the child's hand and leading him to the car.

"It's my fault," he whimpered.

Martin shook his head. "Of course it's not, Leo."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry," he murmured, staring at the sidewalk. "I'm sorry."

"Guess what, Leo?" Martin asked, trying to change the subject. "We've already found a foster home for you. Her name's Teresa Wilkes."

* * *

Pain. Shame. Helplessness.

Leo screeched as Teresa beat him with the belt for the umpteenth time.

"Miss Teresa, stop!" He begged. "Please!"

"Shut up, you worthless brat!" She sneered, bringing the leather strap down again.

Leo whimpered.

He'd killed his mother. If he hadn't started the fire, his mother would still be here, and Teresa wouldn't be beating him now. He'd have someone who loved him.

The fire in the workshop had sputtered out a little over a month ago, but Leo felt as though it were still burning. Even though flames can't harm him, Leo finally felt the burn.

And the worst part was that no one cared that Leo Valdez was falling apart at the seams.

* * *

Fear. Hurt. Panic.

Leo sobbed as Teresa closed the door to the basement, locking him inside the dark room.

Fear coursed through his limbs, causing his body to tremble and his eyes to dart around, searching the shadows for threats.

Hurt made his chest ache. Teresa was supposed to care; Aunt Rosa was supposed to care. Was he that unlovable?

Would his own mother be able to stand the sight of him now?

Panic wrapped around him like a winter coat on a hot summer day. Unbearable, uncomfortable, and suffocating.

His breath was rapid and choppy, and his lungs didn't seem to be filling with air. The darkness was closing in on him. He was all alone.

"Help me!" He cried.

No one came because no one cared.

* * *

Anger. Sadness. Helplessness.

Esperanza cried as she gazed into the Lake of The Watching; it was where people went to check on their loved ones. The mother currently stared at her son as he trembled and sobbed in the darkness of the musty basement that beast had locked him in.

Anger tightened her chest, tensing up her body. If she were able to, she would march right back to Earth and give Teresa Wilkes a piece of her mind (and maybe her fist).

Sadness crippled her mind, making her shoulders hunch down, slightly. Her son was hurting; when a child hurts, it usually hurts the parents even more.

Helplessness hovered over her like a stubborn fog. She was dead; her baby was in pain, and she couldn't help him.

"You want to send him a flare?" A voice asked.

Esperanza turned and found herself facing Sammy Valdez. Gods, he looked so much like Leo...

"What's a flare?" She asked.

Sammy smiled. "It's what I call signals. People send them to the land of the living to let them know that we're watching out for them. They're subtle, but if they really pay attention, they'll figure out what they really are."

Esperanza nodded. "How do you send one?"

Sammy pulled a small stick, barely bigger than her pinky, and tossed it into the image of Leo.

* * *

Hope. Comfort. Love.

Leo's hands sparked, and he hurriedly clamped fingers over the small flame to extinguish it.

Hope filled him as he watched the closest shadows vanish, due to the small orange light shining between his fingers.

Leo raised his hand, allowing the tiny fire to light up the room, and he noticed something on the wall.

A switch.

Leo bolted to his feet and dashed forward, flipping it on and squinting as a bright light filled the basement.

Comfort was gifted to him as the light flickered on, swallowing the shadows and making the panic in Leo's chest ease.

A strange feeling filled him as he curled up against the wall and drifted off to sleep. It felt like the feeling he had when his mom cradled him after nightmares or before bed.

Love.

* * *

Broken. Depression. Exhaustion.

He was broken. He'd been breaking a little bit each day since his mom died, and now, he was shattered. He didn't even have the strength to try to smile.

Depression was drowning him. It was getting worse by the minute; he couldn't eat; he couldn't sleep. Smiling was almost impossible at this point.

Exhaustion weighed down his body, both physically and mentally. He hadn't slept in three days; he was working himself to death; he was tired of life.

Tired of loving people who will never love him.

Tired of being abused, bullied, pushed around.

Tired of being the extra wheel.

He was just done.

Leo swung his legs over the railing of the Argo II and pressed his hands against it, ready to jump.

* * *

Panic. Horror. Desperation.

Esperanza watched as her son climbed over the railing and stared into the sea far below.

Panic tore up her insides, making her heart beat at the speed of light, and her breath stopped exiting and entering her mouth.

Horror grabbed her in a vice geip, as though she'd just witnessed a brutal murder.

Desperate to save her only child, she chucked a flare into the lake.

* * *

Hope. Strength. Alive.

Leo's feet left the ship, but for some reason, his hand did not leave the railing. His shoulder slammed against the side of the ship, and he dangled by his finger tips from the railing.

Hope filled him. For the first time since he was eight, he felt like life could get better. He felt like they could win, and he could have a good life. Memories of the past no longer pounded him down; he could continue. He could wait for a better tomorrow.

Strength fueled him; he swung his other arm up and grappled for a hold on the railing. Then, he hauled himself over the metal and collapsed onto the deck, breathing hard.

For the first time in years, he felt strong enough to live. He no longer felt like he was counting down the days to go.

He felt alive.

Leo climbed to his feet just as Jason appeared on deck for his shift.

Leo smiled, and for the first time in a while, he didn't have to fake it.

Maybe he wasn't broken after all.

* * *

Disappointment. Regret. Anxiety.

Leo opened his eyes and found himself gazing at DOA Recording Studios.

Disappointment caused his body to ache. The plan hadn't worked. He was dead.

Regret gnawed at his insides. He'd broken his promise to Calypso; he'd never return to her island.

Anxiety rattled him; who would save Calypso? Who would tell her what happened to him? Where would he go in the Underworld? He'd broken his oath on the Styx; wasn't that worthy of the Fields of Punishment?

Leo took a deep breath and walked through the doors.

Charon looked up. "Took you long enough," he sighed.

Leo frowned. "What do you mean?"

Charon waved away the question. "Follow me."

Leo shrugged and strolled after the ferryman; he wondered why he hadn't been forced to pay, but he didn't have time to ask before he was herded onto the boat.

As the boat stopped, abruptly, on the banks of the Styx, he dragged drachmas from his pocket and prepared to drop them into Charon's, but he was stopped.

"Keep them," Charon instructed. "You won't be staying."

Leo pulled away in confusion. "But I'm-"

"Dead? Not quite. Lord Hades wants to meet with you," Charon explained, gesturing to the skeleton guards that appeared at their side.

Leo was lead through the Underworld by four skeletons that would not be doing any sneak attacks any time soon (seriously, the gods could hear them coming up on Olympus!)

Finally, the gate came into view, and the skeletons not-so-politely shoved him through.

Why did he have the feeling he was being sent to the slaughter?

Leo took a deep breath and strolled into the throne room.

"Leo Valdez, the boy who cheated death," Hades drawled. "You would be sitting in the Fields of Punishment right now, but since you cheated death for honorable reasons and died in order to defeat Gaea, I have decided to be lenient."

Leo's jaw dropped. Since when was Lord Hades lenient?

Ah, he wasn't complaining. He got Hades in a good mood; complaining could turn that around quickly.

"Thank you, Lord Hades."

"I will be sending you back to the land of the living any moment, but a ghost asked to see you first."

Leo frowned as Hades and the skeleton guards disappeared.

"Mijo?"

Leo froze. No... it couldn't be.

But it was. He turned towards the sound of the voice and saw his mama standing there with open arms.

"¡Mamá!" He exclaimed, running into her arms and embracing her. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too, mijo. We don't have much time."

Leo nodded, trying to stifle his tears.

"Leo, I love you more than anything in this world or the next. My death was not your fault," she said. "It never will be; I will never blame you for it. The worst part of your life is over, but challenges will still be thrown your way. No matter what or who happens, know that you are strong and brave and so much more."

"Mamá, I-I am nothing special."

"Mijo, you are irreplaceable. Your friends miss you."

She gestured to the side, and an image appeared.

 _It was an image of Jason holding Piper as she sobbed._

 _"I miss him," she whispered into his shoulder._

 _"I do, too, Pipes," Jason murmured, his voice thick with tears._

 _"He was like my little brother," Piper said. "Why didn't I tell him that while he was alive?"_

The image changed.

 _Annabeth was sitting in Bunker Nine, tears streaming down her face; Percy was seated beside her._

 _"He was such a hard worker; he was much smarter than a lot of people thought he was. Did you know that he was a mathematical genius?"_

 _Percy shook his head._

 _"I never thanked him," Percy whispered after a moment of silence. "He built this ship to come get me."_

 _"I never thanked him, either," Annabeth mumbled. "Oh, gods."_

 _She broke down into tears, sobbing her heart out, while Percy held her close._

 _And Percy... Percy looked utterly crushed. He was obviously blaming himself, even though there was no reason for him to do so._

The image changed again.

 _Hazel and Frank were sitting side by side on an isolated patch of grass, gazing at the sky, which still had some smoke floating around, marring the blue color with gray._

 _"It's my fault," Hazel mumbled._

 _"How so?" Frank asked, and Leo was shocked to hear his voice crack with grief._

 _"Sammy took that diamond. It cursed Leo's family."_

 _"You don't know that, Hazel," Frank sighed._

 _"I don't? Sammy never saw me again. Leo's mother died before her thirtieth birthday. Leo's aunt tossed him on the streets. Leo told me about some of his cousins; most of them died before age twenty. The only ones that didn't were three of them, and he doesn't even know where they are now. Leo's dead at sixteen. If that isn't cursed, then, I don't know what is."_

 _Frank saw her point, but he also saw another._

 _"Hazel, Leo's death was not your fault. It was fate. Remember the prophecy? It was meant to happen; we couldn't have stopped it."_

 _Hazel didn't look convinced, but Frank didn't know what to say to convince her. He reached over and grabbed her hand, holding her as she cried._

 _It was all he could do right now._

The image changed one last time.

 _Harley was tossing and turning in his sleep, crying and screaming Leo's name._

 _The door to his room burst open, and Nyssa was there, shaking him awake._

 _Harley sat bolt up right, sobbing._

 _Nyssa held him close._

 _"Why'd he have to go?" Harley cried, repeating why over and over again._

 _Nyssa shook her head, tears beginning to make their way down her face._

 _"I don't know, Harley," she whispered. "I just don't know."_

The image vanished.

Leo was shocked. He knew they'd grieve, but... he didn't know they'd be utterly heart broken.

"They care, and even if they didn't, I always will. I'll always be here watching out for you. Just look for the flares. I love you, mijo."

"I love you, too, Mamá."

She disappeared, and Leo woke up on Festus's back with a syringe in his arm.

And they both thought of a million things they should've said when they had the chance.

* * *

 _What'd you think? On a scale of 1-10, how do you think I did?_


	4. Monster, How Should I Feel?

_I wrote this a little differently than I normally do. It's basically in letter format but with flashbacks._

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing_**

 ** _WARNINGS: ABUSE, BULLYING, MURDER, OC CHARACTER DEATHS, SUICIDE_**

 **Leo has a different relationship with Gaea than the rest of the seven. She affected him in a way she didn't affect the others. She thought it made him weaker, but really, messing with Leo's family was the biggest mistake she could make. Monster by Meg and Dia**

 _Italics: letter_

regular: flashback

...= separates flashbacks

* * *

 _His little whispers_  
 _Love me love me_  
 _That's all I ask for_  
 _Love me love me_  
 _He battered his tiny fists to feel something_  
 _Wondered what it's like to touch and feel something_  
 _Monster, how should I feel?_  
 _Creatures lie here_  
 _Looking through the window_  
-"Monster" by Meg and Dia

* * *

 _Dear Gaea,_

 _You tried to break me. You killed my mother; my aunt turned me away like I didn't matter because of what you did to my mom._

* * *

"You are a diablo!" Aunt Rosa screamed.

"Tia Rosa, I didn't mean-"

"I don't care if it was an accident. You are a pyromaniac, a murderer, a burden! I told Esperanza to get rid of you the moment you were born out of a wed lock, but she refused to listen!"

"Tia, I-"

"You're just like your father. A useless, worthless, weak loser! You're a disease! You deserve to die!"

Her nails scratched his face as she slapped him, and he tumbled to the ground, sobbing. His face ached, but that was nothing compared to the hand squeezing his heart in a vice grip.

"Take him away!"

* * *

 _I was shipped off to a dozen foster homes. Abused, bullied, pushed around, hurt._

* * *

"Miss Teresa, please! I'm sorry!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it, freak!"

A glass bottle crashed down over his head before more punches rained down; the occasional slap with the belt wrenched screams and sobs and pleads from Leo's mouth.

Next door, the neighbor turned up their TV to drown out the screams of a hurting child.

...

"Ugly freak!" A voice laughed as hands shoved Leo to the ground.

"Screw up!"

A kick made its way into his ribcage.

"Waste of space!"

A punch smacked him in the eye.

"Stupid!"

His hand was stomped on.

Leo stood and ran for dear life.

"That's right, freak. Go run home to mommy! Oh, wait, you don't have one," one of the boys laughed, and the others joined in.

* * *

 _I lost people. Not just my mother._

* * *

Leo fought against the strong ropes that bound him to the chair, but nothing he did worked.

Alexis screamed as their foster father- who had gone completely off the deep end at this point- drove a kitchen knife into her.

"Sir, stop!" Leo sobbed.

He didn't listen. He stabbed the eleven year old girl until she bled out on the kitchen floor.

That girl's brother was also killed, and Leo had been forced to bury them in the backyard.

...

"Get off of him!" Madison yelled, smacking her small hands against the back of Leo's foster brother.

Mike scrambled backward and knocked Madison to the ground.

Her head smacked against the concrete with a sickening crack!

...

"Terra, slow down!" Leo shouted, gripping his foster brother's hand.

Terra whirled around, and Leo jumped when he stared into her eyes; they were no longer blue. They were golden.

The car barreled through the railing that lined the side of the cliff, and the car plummeted into the water below.

Leo was the only survivor.

...

"Go!" Julia commanded, practically shoving Leo out the window.

Leo scrambled through the open window and climbed down the fire escape, reaching the ground in less than ten seconds. He started at the window far above him and waited for Julia to slip out.

Julia climbed through and was beginning her descent when all of a sudden...

BANG!

A gunshot rang out, and Julia fell ten floors to land on the pavement with a dry thud.

...

Leo burst through the door to his best friend's room and screeched in horror.

His best friend, who was like a sister to him. Hollie.

Her body swung back and forth from the ropes that tied her to the ceiling fan.

Leo fell to his knees and lost consciousness.

* * *

 _Long story short, my life was a horror movie come to life. And it didn't get any better when I arrived at the Wilderness School._

* * *

"Hey, guys, you mind if-" Leo stopped short.

Jason and Piper kissed, passionately, on Jason's bunk. They were so caught up in the moment, they didn't even notice him walk in.

Looks like he was fated to be the extra wheel every single time.

* * *

 _I was taken for granted. Multiple times._

* * *

"Leo, why aren't you working harder?" Annabeth demanded. "The solstice is a month away!"

"We're doing the best we can, Annabeth. Building a ship like this is a year long job, and we're doing it in six months. Lay off!" Leo shouted.

"Well, it's possible if you'd stop being so lazy."

She stormed out.

Little did she know, Leo had been working for three days straight, no sleep, no food, no breaks. Is that what you call lazy?

...

"Leo, how close are you to being done?" Chiron asked.

"A week? Maybe a week and a half?" Leo said.

"But the solstice is five days away," Will Solace pointed out.

"I know, but-"

"Five days, Leo. Work harder," Annabeth growled.

"We're going as fast as we can!"

"Leo, we have a deadline," Piper said. "You can get it done in five days."

"I don't see you out there working!"

"That's because we're training," Jason said.

"Well, I work on the ship and still find time to train!" Leo pointed out.

"Leo, just don't take so many breaks," Chiron said. "You can get it done."

Little did they know, Leo didn't take any breaks.

 _You made me fire on New Rome. You made me start a war. You turned my friends against me._

"I'm sorry," Leo tried again.

"Sorry?" Percy exclaimed. He probably would've pummeled Leo if Annabeth hadn't been holding him back.

"I-"

"Leo, just... don't," Annabeth sighed, leading Percy away.

And Leo was alone once more.

* * *

 _I was labeled as the seventh wheel._

* * *

"You are the seventh wheel. You will not find a place among your brethren."

 _I wanted to lose control so badly. I wanted to release the fire inside of me. I wanted to watch everything and everyone burn._

 _But I didn't._

"You are so insensitive!" Piper snapped.

Percy and Annabeth had fallen into Tarturas. Leo had made a badly timed joke; he'd tried to get them to smile, and he'd done the exact opposite.

"Piper, I was just trying to-"

"Trying to do what?" Piper growled.

Rage boiled beneath his skin. Smoke was curling from his hair; the metal on the railing melted slightly. Leo saw boils appear on Piper's hand, and she was beginning to sweat.

For a moment, the anger faded from her eyes, replaced by confusion.

Leo was going to burst into flames any moment.

He wanted to hurt her.

But he refused to. He turned on his heel, locked himself in his room, and didn't come out for the rest of the night.

...

"Leo, could you just be serious for five minutes?" Jason snapped before continuing to list off their strategy.

Leo felt the all too familiar anger seize him, and he curled his hands into fists under the table to trap the flames that had engulfed his palms. They flickered between his fingers.

Finally, the meeting ended, and Leo rushed to his room.

Hazel frowned as she ran her hand over the underside of the table. Charred wood.

* * *

 _I scared myself sometimes, but I learned control. I trained and I trained until my legs gave out. My fire would never hurt another person._

 _You killed the people I cared about. You tried to break my spirit. You thought I could be shattered like a glass figurine or a snow globe._

 _You could not have been more wrong._

 _I've been to hell and back. I've been hurt, pushed around; I had to grow up too fast. I had to learn self control. I had to learn discipline; I had to form a mask so thick, no one would ever see through it._

 _No kid should have to do that._

 _I am not broken. I'm a little bent, but certainly not broken._

 _For years, I was wondering how I should feel and what I should do. Give up? Keep fighting? Run away?_

 _Now, I've made my decision. I will keep fighting, and I will defeat you._

 _You should've known better than to mess with my family._

* * *

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best, how was it? Honestly, it wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, but it wasn't awful either, so...


	5. If I Don't Make It Back

_Sorry it's been a while since the last chapter. I am trying to finish some stories and have taken on more prompts than I should have, so both of those things are taking up a lot of my time. But this story has not been abandoned. It will just be updated slower._

 _IMPORTANT NOTE:_ Leo was never possessed and never fired on New Rome. He wound up getting together with Reyna, and they've been dating long distance (via Iris Message) until the war is over.

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing._**

 ** _WARNINGS: CHARACTER DEATH_**

 **Leo didn't make his oath to Calypso, and they didn't have the physician's cure. He truly died. This is how the seven handle it. Leyna because it works better with the story**

* * *

 _Have a beer for me_

 _Don't waste no tears on me_

 _On Friday night sit on the visitor side and cheer for the home team_

 _Drive my camero_

 _90 miles an hour down Redrock Road with "Born To Run" blastin' on the radio_

 _And find someone good enough for Amy_

 _Who will love her like I would have_

 _If I don't make it back_

-"If I Don't Make It Back" by Tracy Lawrence

* * *

"How do oceans say hello to each other? They wave!"

"Boo!" Jason exclaimed, playfully.

Leo, Piper, and Jason were lying on the deck of the Argo II, staring up at the stars. The rest of the seven were elsewhere; for the first time since they embarked on their quest to Greece, it was just the three of them having a nice conversation under a field of stars.

"What does one wall say to another wall? I'll meet you at the corner!"

"Leo!"

"What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear!"

"Leo-"

"What do you call cheese that isn't yours? Nacho cheese!"

"Seriously-"

"I'm Leo Valdez, not Sirius Black," Leo deadpanned.

A moment of silence.

"And that was your worst one yet!" Jason cheered, clapping. "Good job."

Leo laughed, and for several minutes, they laid there in silence. Finally, Leo took a deep breath and voiced the thought he'd been having since he first heard the Great Prophecy.

"Guys… can I be serious for a minute?"

"A whole minute?" Piper joked. "Are you sure you're capable of that?"

Piper laughed, but she abruptly stopped when she saw the dead serious expression on Leo's face.

"Sure," she said, not quite believing that she was about to witness this once in a lifetime event: Leo Valdez being serious.

"The prophecy. It says storm or fire, like one isn't going to see the end of the war. If I don't make it back, promise me that you won't mope around, okay? Go have fun, enjoy your lives. Do all the things I couldn't do. Have enough fun for the both of us. Can you promise me that?"

Jason stared at him. "Leo, that isn't going to happen."

"You really think all seven of us are going to see the end of this war, Jason? Don't lie to me."

Jason didn't want to lie, so he chose to say nothing.

"I just want to be prepared in case I'm the one that doesn't make it. Can you promise me you'll enjoy your lives instead of moping around? I don't you to stop living just because I died, so promise me you won't do that."

Piper nodded. "We promise."

Leo smiled. "Thanks."

* * *

"Hey, Jason," Leo greeted.

They were alone on deck. Jason's guard shift had just begun, and Leo almost never left the steering wheel, except to go to the engine room or do other repairs.

"Yeah?" Jason replied, scanning the horizon for any threats.

"You know how I got together with Reyna?"

Jason nodded. "Yeah, and I'm glad you did. I've never seen either of you happier than when you were holding hands."

Leo smiled. "Thanks. I've never felt happier, but there is one favor I need to ask."

"Anything."

"If I don't survive, find someone for Reyna, someone who loves her just as much, if not more, than I do. I was going to ask you the other night, but I didn't want to ask in front of Piper. She may be the daughter of love, but you know Reyna better than anyone. I want you to be the one to do this."

Jason sighed. "You know, when you talk like that, it sounds like you're signing your resignation for life."

Leo nodded. "I know. It's depressing, but if the worst happens, I want to leave knowing that my friends and my girlfriend and my siblings will all live their lives and be happy instead of moping around all the time. I want to know that you guys, along with Reyna and my siblings, are taken care of."

Jason nodded. "I want the same thing. I'll agree to this request if you do something for me."

"What?"

"If I don't make it back, find someone for Piper who will love her like I would have."

Leo nodded. "You can count on me… let's just hope it will never be necessary."

Jason nodded, but he couldn't help but think someday he would need to carry out Leo's request. But that was crazy. Leo was Leo. He was always there, whether you wanted him to be or not. He couldn't just leave. He couldn't just die.

And yet Jason knew it was a possibility, and he was scared.

* * *

He was dead. Leo Valdez was dead.

Jason paced back and forth across the floor of his cabin, staring at the envelope in his hands. Apparently, Leo had handed it to Hazel right before carrying out his plan to defeat Gaea with orders to not open it and to give it to Jason as soon as possible.

Jason was almost scared to open it.

He flinched at the ripping sound of his finger slicing through the envelope, and he pulled out a folded up piece of paper. He let it fall open and began to read.

 **Hey, Jason. If you're reading this, it means I'm dead. I'm sorry to leave you so suddenly, but it was worth it if I managed to bring Dirt Woman down with me. I have a few requests, and since you're the person I trust the most in the world, I wanted you to carry them out.**

 **1\. Be happy. Don't be sad because I'm gone; be happy because I was here (wow, that was cheesy) and avenged my mother. Think about the life I lived and not the death I had. Don't mope around everyday. I want you to have enough fun for both of us and do all the things I didn't get the chance to do. Don't let the others mope around either.**

 **2\. You better not blame yourself, or I will come back from the Underworld to haunt you. Don't let anyone else blame themselves either, especially Hazel and Frank. The plan was my decision.**

 **3\. Find someone who will love and take care of Reyna. She deserves true love, having lost you and Percy to other girls and me to death. Please make sure she's happy. That's all I want for her.**

 **4\. Take care of Harley. I'm his role model, his best friend, his older brother. With me gone, you'll need to be there for him. He'll miss me, but I hope that you can help him move on.**

 **5\. Take care of Piper. She's like my little sister. I trust you, Jason, but I still have to say this: if you hurt her, I will make sure that you join me in the Underworld! Understand?**

 **Thanks, Jason. For everything. For being my friend and for doing this for me. I know I don't say it very often, but I love you, man. Thank you.**

 **-Leo Valdez**

On that day, Jason swore to carry out Leo Valdez's last requests to the letter.

* * *

A few months later, Jason had done a pretty good job of carrying out Leo's requests. A memorial had been built in his honor and to all the others who died during the war. The first two requests had been the hardest; after all, losing the joker was a devastating blow to the seven and the entire camp, but Jason had managed it for the most part.

There was still some guilt (it'd always be there, no matter how hard Jason tried to get rid of it), but at least Percy's guilt wasn't so obvious anymore. Hazel and Frank had come a long way from their crippling guilt.

They were all relatively happy. Percy and Annabeth were engaged and would be getting married in August. Hazel and Frank's relationship was going smoothly. Jason and Piper were perfectly happy (and Jason hadn't hurt her once. Not that he'd been planning to, but Leo would be happy to find out that he hadn't hurt her). Even Nico Di Angelo had found happiness with Will Solace.

Jason went out of his way to be there for Harley, who missed Leo dearly. He'd spend at least an hour with the kid a day, and he was a sweet kid. He understood why Leo had taken such a huge liking to Harley compared to the rest of his siblings.

Jason had introduced Reyna to a friend of his from Camp Half Blood named David Sullivan, a child of Apollo. He was a nice guy, brave, funny, smart. He was a dream guy; most girls would love to date him…

But Reyna wasn't ready yet, and Jason understood that. Maybe she would be someday, but that day wasn't today, and Jason is sure that Leo would be okay with that. As long as Reyna didn't stop living, Leo would be happy.

 _If I don't make it back…_

* * *

 _I know Leo is OOC at times, but given the topic, I'm sure it's understandable._

 _I hope you enjoyed it!_

 **Which song should I do next (I will be doing all of these at some point. This is just to determine which I will do first)?**

 **1\. Topics by Nevertheless- Leo commits suicide, and the seven realize how they could've prevented it**

 **2\. You're in my veins by Andrew Belle- after Leo 'dies' in Blood of Olympus, Piper and Jason are thinking about him and how they can't forget him because he's 'in their veins'**

 **3\. Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus- Leo dies protecting Harley**

 _Until next time, everyone!_


	6. We Avoid The Topics

_Hello. A lot longer chapter than usual! Over 5000 words!_

 _Also, I got a review saying I bash some of the characters. I do not bash them at all. If I were bashing them, you'd know it because I'd make them mean. If I were a bashing a character, they wouldn't care that Leo died. I love most of the characters; they're like my best friends (and that's kind of sad, but oh, well)!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing._**

 ** _WARNINGS: SUICIDE_**

 **When Leo commits suicide, the seven look back on his life and realize just how much he meant to them. They realize the signs, and maybe they could've stopped it. But no one had been brave enough to ever talk to him about the hard stuff. And now it's too late. Topics by Nevertheless**

* * *

 _We avoid the topics_

 _We make the kids have secrets_

 _And when they are exposed, and everyone else knows_

 _We'll say we never knew it… that they had a problem_

 _Because if we would've known, we surely would've solved it_

 _But we can't. It's too late_

 _I said we can't. It's too late._

-"Topics" by Nevertheless

* * *

When Leo Valdez committed suicide, the entire camp was left in shock. No one knew how to react to the death of the seemingly happy, cheerful, content-with-life boy.

Annabeth distracted herself by diving into researching. She borrowed every book from the camp library on suicide and depression, not mention reading every article she could get her hands on.

It didn't take long for the others to join her. None of them particularly liked reading or researching or anything of that nature, but they needed a distraction, so they sat in Annabeth's cabin, reading articles and books and websites (with Daedalus's lap top).

They were no closer to finding the _why_. _Why_ did Leo kill himself? _Why_ had he felt the need to leave the world?

Maybe they didn't find the overall answer (why he felt the way he did), but they did find out why Leo had stepped over the edge.

Because no one offered to pull him away from it.

 ***FLASHBACK***

"Leo, have you finished the blueprints for the memorial?" Annabeth asked as she walked into Bunker Nine.

A memorial was being built for those who died in the Giant War, and Annabeth and Leo were in charge of the project.

Leo blinked, sleepily.

He shook his head. "No, sorry," he said, and he spoke slower than usual, more flat. It wasn't at all like his typical energetic tone, but Annabeth assumed he was simply tired.

"Why not?" she demanded. "You were supposed to have them done yesterday! You said you'd have them done by today."

"I know. I-I… I overslept, I guess," he said. Annabeth had thought he was lying but didn't want to call him out on it, so she'd moved on.

"Leo, you're usually a really hard worker," she told him. "Get those blueprints to me by dinner tonight."

He nodded and muttered, "Yes, Ms. Bossy."

That was really unlike Leo, but Annabeth's vision had been clouded with anger, and she hadn't thought about how un-Leo like his words had been.

"Excuse me? Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?" Annabeth snapped. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself, and when she remembered that Leo's mother was dead, guilt immediately flooded her mind.

"Oh my goodness, Leo, I'm s-"

Before she could finish the word sorry, her instincts told her to duck, and she fell into a crouch just as a hammer was sent hurtling over her head. She knew Leo knew that she would duck; he wouldn't actually hurt her, but the fact that he was trying to scare her said a lot.

Annabeth stared at the hammer, which had clattered to the floor, and bolted from the bunker, not wanting to get another hammer thrown at her head.

The next day, Leo was acting like his normal self. He was funny, easy going, cheerful, and he got the blueprints to her. He looked apologetic, although he never said it in words. In fact, they never talked about it again.

Annabeth had assumed that whatever had been bothering him had been dealt with. She never thought he was just putting on an act for the cameras. Even if he was okay, which he wasn't, what happened in the Bunker shouldn't have been ignored. She should've at least asked him about it, but that's the thing about humans: we avoid what we don't understand. Leo had been going through something, and Annabeth knew she wouldn't understand it (she was good with academics but not emotions), so she avoided the conversation like the plague, and Leo did, too.

 ***FLASHBACK OVER***

She stared at the paper in front of her, the one that displayed the signs of suicidal thoughts and behavior.

On the bottom of the list was the sign that made her want to cry because she'd seen it for herself and hadn't done anything about it:

 _Extreme mood swings_

* * *

Connor Stoll and his older brother, Travis, sat on the floor of the Athena cabin with a book that listed the signs of suicide (it's the same one that Annabeth found. It's listed on almost every suicide prevention site and in articles and books, so they probably all found it at some point).

They should've known. It was so obvious when they thought about it.

 ***FLASHBACK** *

"Aw, shitaki mushrooms," Travis muttered.

Him and Connor had been sword fighting outside their cabin (the arena was too crowded, and there was almost no one in the cabin area at the time) when Connor had twisted his sword around Travis's. The older brother's sword had been sent flying through the air to land on the roof of their cabin.

Leo appeared at his side.

"I can get it," he offered.

"Thanks. I'll get a ladd- what are you doing?" Connor asked as Leo walked towards the cabin.

Leo shrugged. "Going to get it."

"But how are you going to-"

Leo leaped up and grabbed the edge of the roof, swinging himself upward and using the door frame as a foothold. He twisted his body and rolled onto the roof.

"Leo, what are you doing? A fall like that could break your neck!" Travis called, guesting to the two story drop (The Hermes cabin had done some renovations after their cabin was destroyed during the war. With help from The Hephaestus cabin, they'd built a second floor).

Leo didn't seem to care as he walked casually towards the sword, not even holding onto the roof as he strolled up the slight slope. He grabbed the sword and walked back over to the edge of the roof. He sat on the edge, dropped onto the door frame (and somehow not falling, despite the narrow strip he was standing on) and jumping, falling the last few feet to the ground.

He handed Travis his sword.

"What was that?" Travis demanded.

"You could've fallen!" Connor continued.

"Or stabbed yourself!" Travis pointed out, gesturing to his sword.

"You could've been hurt!" Connor cried.

"You could've died!" Travis picked up.

"Even we wouldn't do something like that," Connor said.

"And we're the kings of recklessness," Travis finished.

Leo shrugged. "Actually, I think that title would go to Percy. Anyway, I'm okay. It's not a big deal. Besides, that stunt is going to look like a piece of cake when I duel you," he smirked, pulling a hammer out of his tool belt.

Leo didn't even seem to care that he could've died, but Travis and Connor didn't notice. Maybe if they'd paid more attention, they could've prevented what happened later.

 ***FLASHBACK OVER***

Almost a month later, the Stoll brothers swallowed their tears as they stared at the sign that was typed on the article.

 _Acting anxious, agitated, or reckless._

* * *

Frank Zhang pursed his lips as he read through the list of signs.

Maybe they could've prevented it…

 ***FLASHBACK***

"Do you ever feel like you don't belong?" Leo asked, his usual joking tone gone.

Frank turned away from where he was practicing archery in a clearing in the woods.

Frank shrugged. "I used to. All the time. But then I found Hazel."

"But what if you didn't have anybody, and you didn't think you've ever find anyone?" Leo asked.

Frank blinked. "Honestly? I'd rather die than feel that lonely."

Leo was silent for a moment.

"Yeah," he finally whispered. "Me, too."

Then, he walked away and disappeared into the woods.

Frank frowned.

Leo had seemed so… not Leo. He hadn't told a joke or laughed once. He'd been completely and totally serious. And he'd mentioned loneliness…

But Leo Valdez couldn't be lonely! He was one of the most popular guys at camp. Sure, people got annoyed with him from time to time, but he still had tons of friends. Frank even suspected that Reyna liked him and would ask him out soon (but don't tell her he knew). In Frank's eyes, Leo had it all. How could he be sad or lonely?

If something was truly wrong, there'd be more signs. Frank would notice. He decided to wait to talk to Leo.

Leo was back to normal the next day. He must've just been having a bad day. Frank didn't think that Leo might be putting on a mask to disguise his true feelings; after all, no one's that good at acting… right?

The truth was… he'd missed out on the chance to talk to Leo, to save him.

Why hadn't he taken five minutes to just talk to Leo, to let him know that he had friends, people who cared? Why?

 ***FLASHBACK OVER***

Tears hit the paper in Frank's hands as he lightly traced his finger over two of the signs.

 _Talking about death or wanting to die._

 _Worsening signs of depression, including strong feelings of hopelessness and loneliness_

* * *

Hazel wiped her eyes as she stared at the list of suicide signs in her lap.

One of them stood out to her; she'd seen it for herself, and maybe- just maybe- if she'd done something, she could've saved him.

 ***FLASHBACK***

"Hazel?"

She looked up from where she was reading her book. "Yeah, Leo?"

"I know this might be a sensitive topic, but… you were bullied, right?" he asked, sitting down beside her.

She nodded. "Yeah. Even when I joined Camp Jupiter, some kids gave me a hard time."

"Did you ever feel like the pain that the bullying caused, that mental and emotional pain… did you ever think it would never end?" he asked.

Leo was definitely acting weird. The excited twinkle in his eyes had vanished. His smile was no where to be found.

She nodded. "All the time. I'd be looking for a way to escape the pain. I'd skip school all the time just to avoid it. Why?"

Leo sighed. "A few years ago, I was bullied in school. It's been bothering me, lately."

Hazel nodded. "That happens for me sometimes. Memories of the bullying just come back without reason. But hey, you're Leo Valdez. You're funny, nice, confident. Don't let what any of those kids said get to you."

Leo nodded. "Thanks, Hazel."

"There's always a way to escape the pain, to fight it. Go hang out with Jason or Piper. They're your best friends; they'll be able to help," Hazel told him.

Leo's gaze stared off into the distance, like he was staring straight into the past (and Hazel knew what that felt like).

"Holly found a way out," he murmured.

Hazel frowned. "Who's Holly?"

Leo jumped, as though he'd forgotten she was there. He glanced at her before his gaze returned to the sky.

"Just an old friend, Hazel. Just an old friend…"

* **FLASHBACK OVER***

After Leo had died, Hazel had looked through some of his belongings (someone had to do it, and while it pained her, she needed an answer, a reason why he'd done what he had). She'd found a newspaper clipping of a girl named Holly Webster. It said that she'd committed suicide after many months of being bullied. Her body was found by her best friend…

Leo Valdez was her best friend.

Hazel had talked to Leo; she had to give herself that. But she hadn't checked on him after that. Despite his moment of acting un-Leo like, she hadn't checked on him the next day. She hadn't even asked Piper or Jason to see if Leo had talked to them about it.

Maybe if she'd just checked on him… maybe things would've been different.

She'd seen him display signs of suicide with her very own eyes. Sure, she hadn't known it was a sign at the time, but it was still suspicious. She should've looked into it. The fact that she hadn't hurt more than words can say.

 _Talking about being in unbearable pain…_

* * *

Jason Grace wasn't one to cry, but after Leo Valdez's suicide was announced to the entire camp, he broke down into tears and didn't stop crying for three days.

Leo was his best friend, and he was dead, and somehow, that didn't even hurt the most. What hurt the most was… being so close to the truth, seeing the signs, and not preventing it. The what ifs were what tore Jason apart. The fact that he could've prevented what happened was clawing up his insides.

His finger traced over a sign written on the article in his lap, and he wiped the tears away, but they just kept flowing.

 ***FLASHBACK***

"Maybe you should ask Annabeth to help you," Jason suggested.

Him and Leo were sitting side by side in Bunker Nine, and Leo was squinting at the designs for the memorial. Leo had been acting different lately, but not so different as to be enough to worry Jason. It'd been even harder for him to concentrate, but he'd been a lot less hyperactive. Jason chalked the lack of concentration up to his ADHD and the lack of hyperactivity to working too hard.

Leo was struggling to think of the correct measurements for one of the parts of the memorial; he was usually great at math, but now, he had good days and bad days. Jason assumed after doing so much math and mental math with the blueprints, sometimes his brain kind of shut down, demanding a break. That was normal, so Jason hadn't questioned him about it.

Leo waved off his suggestion. "I don't want to be a bother."

Jason frowned. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, she finally found Percy after so many months of him being missing, and they jump headfirst into a war. That war is over and won, so she can finally spend some time with her boyfriend. I don't want to butt into her time with Percy," Leo pointed out.

"Well, that's very thoughtful," Jason said, "but you wouldn't be a bother. Being a bother and butting in to ask one question are two totally different things."

Leo shrugged. "I guess."

"Leo, I'm serious. You're not a bother," Jason told him.

Leo nodded. "I know that, Jace. I'm okay, honestly."

Jason nodded. "Okay."

 ***FLASHBACK OVER***

He'd trusted Leo's judgement. Leo had honestly thought he was okay, and by the time Leo realized that he wasn't… he already had the blade pressed against his wrist. Sometimes we can't be trusted with our own emotions; emotions are not something you can stop or change. They're just there; they just happen. There are times when we can be trusted with them, but there are some times when we need to rely on others to help us.

Jason should've at least checked on Leo, at least kept a sharper eye on him. But he'd thought it was over after that conversation. _"I don't want to be a bother."_ It was one sentence; how much truth could one sentence hold?

Turns out, a lot.

If only he'd talked to Leo about it instead of moving on with his life, forgetting their conversation in the blink of an eye.

He shouldn't have avoided the conversation, shouldn't have strayed away from the emotional stuff he didn't always understand. If he'd talked to Leo, maybe things would've turned out different.

He'd seen a sign of suicide with his own eyes- at the very least, it was suspicious and needed further discussion- and he'd done nothing.

 _Talking about being a burden to others…_

* * *

Nico probably felt the most guilt because he himself had had suicidal thoughts in the past, fallen down the steep slope into unbearable depression, just like Leo. He should've noticed, recognized the signs.

He'd been the one to find Leo's body when his life force vanished like a puff of smoke. Nico had freaked out the head councilors (why hadn't anyone noticed that Leo wasn't there? It was a very chaotic meeting, but still) when he'd paled three shades (which was an impressive feat for Nico, who already looked like a ghost) and stood up, knocking his chair over, before bolting out of the Big House like monsters were right on his heels.

He thought about the signs of suicide he'd read on the Internet…

He should've known.

 ***FLASHBACK***

"Leo," he called upon entering Bunker Nine.

Leo appeared around the corner. "Yeah?"

"We're all going to the fire works for fourth of July. You ready?" Nico asked.

Leo pursed his lips. "Uh, I'm actually not coming."

Nico raised an eyebrow. "Really? But didn't you make the fireworks? Don't you want to see them in action?"

Leo shrugged. "I have a lot of work to get done. I'll just watch Travis and Connor's video."

Nico nodded, suspicious but not suspicious enough to push the subject.

He left, thinking about how 'busy' Leo had been lately. He'd missed out on meals; he talked less; he avoided public situations like the plague, saying he had work to do, saying he was busy. That wasn't like Leo at all. Even if he had boat loads of work, he still made time to hang out with his friends.

He should've known…

 ***FLASHBACK OVER***

One of the signs of suicide bounced around inside his head like a ping pong ball.

 _Withdrawing or feeling isolated…_

* * *

Nyssa gazed at the ceiling, fiddling with the paper in her hands, the same sign of suicide echoing inside her mind.

Sure, it wasn't a sign that always meant suicide or even depression, but she should've made sure that Leo was taking care of himself…

 ***FLASHBACK***

Nyssa crept into Leo's room late one night, looking for a tool she knew Leo had. Nyssa didn't do late nights very often, nor did she usually enter her siblings' rooms without permission, but she needed to finish this project, and Leo was the only one who had the right tools.

She expected to find Leo sleeping (it was almost three in the morning, after all), but she found him sitting on his bed, looking through the contents of a shoe box. She couldn't see what was in it from this angle, and the minute Leo saw her, he snapped the lid back on and rested it on the bed beside him. He kept a hand on top of it, as though afraid she would snatch it away.

"What are you still doing up?" Nyssa asked.

"Couldn't sleep," Leo summed up. "You?"

"Important project. Do you still have that special drill?" Nyssa asked (I don't know the specifics of tools, so special drill, it is).

Leo nodded. "It's on my work desk."

Nyssa nodded and grabbed the drill before turning back to Leo.

There were dark circles under his eyes, and he seemed to sag, slumping over. It was like he didn't even have the energy to hold himself up.

"Maybe you should get some sleep. You look dead on your feet, little bro," Nyssa said, rubbing his hair, affectionately.

Leo smiled. "I will, Nys."

"Good. Lack of sleep can be dangerous. We don't need you dying on us."

She hadn't meant it literally…

Leo's eyes grew distant, a strange expression coming over his face.

He nodded. "Yeah…"

 ***FLASHBACK***

Lack of sleep could've meant anything. A physical llness, stress, over working himself. Depression and suicide didn't even come to her mind. It wasn't what I would call an obvious sign because lack of sleep could've been caused by so many things.

Still, she should've made sure he was sleeping, eating, taking care of himself. She was his big sister. She should've made sure he was healthy, mentally and physically, and that he wasn't neglecting his health.

And that shoebox... she hadn't asked him about it to respect his privacy, but if she'd known he was hiding a razor blade in there and was planning his suicide, she would've snatched it away quicker than lightning and wouldn't leave his side until the sun came up (and then, she would tell the others)

The sign written on the paper in her lap rang in her ears.

 _Sleeping too little or too much…_

* * *

Percy almost always blamed himself when someone died, but it was even worse with Leo because he knew he could've prevented it. Bianca, Beckendorf, Silena, Luke, and so many others… he felt he could've saved them, but in the end, it was their choice to sacrifice themselves, and he couldn't have changed their minds. But Leo… he could've saved him.

The article in his hands crinkled as he clenched his fingers around it, staring at one of the signs of suicide.

 ***FLASHBACK***

Percy smirked, motioning of Jason and Frank, who nodded.

Percy help up one finger... then, two... then, three…

With a loud cheer from the trio and a yelp from Leo, Percy grabbed the mechanic around the waist and threw him over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. Together, they ran out of the cabin with Leo shouting and fighting all the way.

Percy skidded to a halt beside a small hill overlooking Long Island Sound (it was more like a very small cliff, actually. People jumped off of it all the time) and tossed Leo into the water a few feet below.

Percy, Jason, and Frank started to laugh at their prank, waiting for Leo to swim to the surface and glare at them while they laughed harder.

He didn't. After thirty seconds, Percy abruptly stopped laughing, and it didn't take long for Jason and Frank to follow.

"He's been under there a while!" Percy exclaimed before glancing at Jason and Frank, who looked just as worried. Not even a full second later, Percy was leaping into the water.

He spotted Leo almost immediately, and he swam towards the limp boy, floating in the water below him, and grabbed the boy by the arms and swam to the surface. He dragged Leo through the water until they reached the beach, where Jason and Frank were waiting for them.

Percy placed an ear over Leo's mouth.

"He's not breathing," he muttered before concentrating hard and forcing the water out of Leo's lungs by using his powers. He watched as the boy coughed and sputtering, sitting up the spit the water out of his mouth.

"Probably should've told you… that I couldn't swim," Leo murmured, weakly.

Percy nodded. "We're so sorry!"

"It's okay. You didn't know. Thanks for saving me," Leo mumbled.

He glanced at the sea with a strange expression, like he was going to jump in, despite his inability to swim. But that was crazy! Why would Leo do that?

Now, Percy knew.

 ***FLASHBACK OVER***

It didn't even occur to Percy until now, but Leo hadn't even fought to swim. Most drowning victims would flail and scream, and kick, wildly, trying to keep their head above the water. Leo hadn't done that. He'd almost been letting himself drown without even trying to stay afloat or cry for help. It was an unintentional suicide attempt…

Percy wiped his eyes and stared at one of the signs of suicide.

 _Looking for a way to kill oneself…_

* * *

When Piper found out Leo was dead, she'd cried for five days. Jason had comforted her on the last two, but somehow that only made her cry harder because it was a painful reminder that their trio had become a duo in a single tragic day.

Now, she was just wondering how she hadn't noticed as she stared at the signs of suicide in the book she was reading.

 ***FLASHBACK***

"Leo, do you know the weakness of Garyon?" Piper asked.

Her and Leo were doing work for their Ancient Greek Studies. All of the campers were required to do them (and once they completed the class, they could choose to teach them) in order to learn the weakness of monsters and know the 'myths' like the back of their hand.

Leo shook his head. "What's the point of these studies anyway? I mean, we work better when we don't know how dangerous a monster is, and usually, they tell us how to kill them anyway, which nobody knows why. So why do we even learn these lessons?"

"It's better to be prepared," Piper pointed out.

Leo shrugged. "Well, I'm sick of it, honestly."

"Sick of what?"

"A lot of things. These studies, training, Chiron's high expectations for us because we're the infamous seven. I'm sick of feeling trapped. It's like everyone tells you to be yourself, do things your way, and then tells you the exact opposite by telling you what you need to do and who you need to be. I'm stuck under this title of hero, and everyone thinks I need to be a role model for everyone else, but truthfully? I just want to work in the forges all day," Leo muttered.

Piper blinked, surprised by the rant, but she understood. She felt the same way around her dad, what with all of his fame.

"It's like there's no way out, or at least not a good one," Leo grumbled.

Piper nodded. "I know how you feel. What do you say we take the day off? No studies, no training, no work. We can do whatever you want to do. Let's pick Jason up first, though; we don't want him to feel left out."

Leo cheered. "Yes! The Lost Hero Trio is back together."

"Lost Hero Trio?" Piper asked.

"Well… Jason and Percy were kind of lost heroes, right? And indirectly, Jason found Percy with his memories… I don't know. It makes sense. Come on."

Piper laughed and followed Leo.

 ***FLASHBACK OVER***

She may have cheered him up, but _cheering up_ only lasts for so long. Eventually, the emotions crashed over him again, and Piper hadn't talked to him about it, hadn't let him know that she was there for him. If she had talked to him, things would've ended differently.

Her kaleidoscope eyes stared at the signs of suicide, one in particular.

 _Talking about feeling trapped…_

* * *

Reyna was not one to cry, but when Leo Valdez died, she barely made it to her room in the Big House (Camp Jupiter occasionally visited Camp Half Blood, and they'd been doing so when Leo's death was announced) before she broke down into tears.

Reyna had a crush on Leo Valdez. Yes, the Leo Valdez that blew up her camp. She was almost too embarrassed to admit it before he died, and now, she wished that she could go back in time and tell him the truth when she had the chance.

A tear slid down her cheek and hit the page of the book in her lap, which listed the signs of suicide.

One in particular stood out to her.

 ***FLASHBACK***

"It looks nice," Reyna commented as she looked over the blueprints for the memorial they'd be building in Camp Jupiter (they'd be building one in Camp Half Blood and one in Camp Jupiter). "You and Annabeth work well together. And you're a good mechanic," she said, gesturing to the machines littering the workshop.

Leo shrugged. "Yeah, but I don't think building is my purpose in life, you know? Just like being Praetor wasn't Jason's or archery wasn't Frank's."

Reyna nodded. "What do you think your purpose is?"

"I don't really know if we have a purpose in life," Leo admitted.

Reyna frowned. "You don't?"

"We all have a destiny, but destiny isn't exactly a purpose. It's just something written out by the Fates; it doesn't give you any answers on what the meaning of life is, just a temporary event or events you were put here for, but it doesn't last forever; like Percy and Annabeth. They're destiny as heroes of Olympus is complete. A purpose is something you find on your own; a destiny is something that will happen either way, and once your destiny is completed, you're either already dead or continue living your life until the day you die. Some people find their purpose, but I've been looking for my purpose for so long, I'm not really sure I have one," Leo said.

Reyna shrugged. "Well, maybe you just have _many_ purposes in life, or maybe you don't see yourself or your talents the way other people do. I think you should just stop looking for your purpose and live your life. Chances are, you'll find it when you least expect it."

Leo nodded, his gaze becoming far away.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Live my life…"

 ***FLASHBACK OVER***

If only she would've mentioned it to the others, if only she would've talked to him about it more… maybe she could've saved him.

She'd seen a sign of suicide in Leo's behavior- at the very least, she'd seen suspicious, un-Leo like behavior that should've grabbed her attention.

 _Talking about not having a purpose in life…_

* * *

They'd avoided the topics, the conversations they needed to have. They'd ignored Leo's suspicious, un-Leo like behavior for months. By not talking to him, it must've seemed like they didn't care, even though they cared more than Leo would ever know, and because of that, Leo had kept his feelings a secret. If they could go back and talk to him about it, they would.

But they can't. It's too late.

* * *

 _No one should blame themselves for someone else's suicide, but we do need to be more educated about the signs of suicide to be able to prevent them. I think it is the third leading death of teenagers and in the top ten causes of death on the United States (don't quote me on that, though. It's been a while since I did thorough research on this topic), and that needs to change._

 _Typically, I just do the three songs in order of votes (this was first place, and so far, Guardian Angel is second), but I am actually going to add a song._

 ** _Which song should I do next?_**

 **In My Veins by Andrew Bell _-_** Leo dies, and Jason and Piper can't forget him because they're best friends, and he's kind of like a part of them now

 **Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus-** Leo dies protecting Harley

 **What Hurts The Most by Rascal Flatts-** Leo dies (it'll probably be noncanon, like he's killed by a monster or rogue demigod after the war or something along those ines), and Jason can't stop thinking about him.

 _Thanks for reading! Goodbye, everyone!_


	7. Guardian Angel

_Here's the chapter!_

 ** _Disclaimer: I own nothing._**

 ** _WARNINGS: CHARACTER DEATH_**

* * *

 _I will never let you fall_

 _I'll stand up with you forever_

 _I'll be there for you through it all_

 _Even if saving you sends me to heaven_

 _It's ok_

 _It's ok_

 _It's okayayay_

-"Guardian Angel" by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

* * *

The battle was in full swing. Swords clashed; monsters roared; war cries and yells of pain rang out. The wounded and the dead littered the blood soaked ground, which shook and undulated with Gaea's power.

The demigods, the monsters, the weapons, the earth goddess… those were all supposed to be at that battle.

Harley Robinson was not.

Leo was engaged in a heated fight with five earthborn. He cut down one and another popped up. The rest of the seven were scattered across the battlefield, and as of now, Leo was on his own when it came to fighting monsters.

Leo was already weighed down with exhaustion. He'd been working almost nonstop for three days, taking a twenty minute nap every now and again, and now he was expected to fight monsters while running on so little sleep? How rude of the monsters and Gaea to pick this day to have a battle.

Leo cut down another earthborn, and that was when he spotted him. Laying on the ground several feet away from Leo, his big brown eyes wide in fear as a traitorous demigod raised a sword above him, preparing to bring the sword down. Right through his heart. Leo had seen plenty of people killed that day; it hurt him to remember every death he'd witnessed that day, every death he couldn't have prevented without losing his own life. This battle was a horrible game of survival combined with defending their camp, their home. Defending their world. It was worth dying for, but Leo hadn't sacrificed himself for other demigods because he needed to be alive in order to defeat Gaea. But this kid… he was different.

This kid was different because he was _Harley_. Leo's little brother.

 _ ***FLASHBACK***_

 _"Leo," eight year old Harley whispered in the quiet room._

 _Leo, who had previously been sleeping, rolled over in his bed._

 _"Harley," he muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What's wrong?"_

 _Harley, his little face streaked with tears, dove into Leo's bed, burrowing his face in Leo's shirt and sobbing his heart out._

 _Leo was immediately fully alert and awake as he sat up, cradling Harley on his lap and running his hand up and down the sobbing boy's trembling back._

 _"Nightmare," Harley whimpered._

 _Leo nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?"_

 _Harley shook his head._

 _"Okay. Do you want to sleep in here tonight?"_

 _Harley nodded._

 _"Okay."_

 _Leo laid down, and Harley huddled close to his older brother, finally beginning to calm down with his brother's arms wrapped securely around him._

 _"Leo?" Harley murmured._

 _"Yeah?" Leo replied._

 _"This war… are you scared you're going to die?"_

 _Leo hesitated. Part of him wanted to be brave and say no, he wasn't scared to die as long as he died for a cause worth dying for, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to Harley._

 _"Yes," Leo responded. "I am."_

 _"Me, too," Harley mumbled._

 _Leo rubbed his hand up and down Harley's back._

 _"You're not going to die, Harley. You want to know how I know?"_

 _Harley sniffled. "How?"_

 _"Because I promise that I am going to do everything in my power to protect you and keep you safe. Even if I die trying."_

 _ ***FLASHBACK OVER***_

And Leo intended to keep that promise.

"No!" Leo yelled before he broke into a sprint, cutting down any monsters that got in his way. He sliced through earthborn left and right; he stabbed Cyclopses and burned dracnea and smacked demigods, both traitors and allies, out of his way.

Leo reached Harley in no time, and he leaped in front of his defenseless little brother just as the traitorous demigod brought the sword down. The blade cut clean through Leo's shirt, skin, and muscle until it rested in the middle of his rib cage.

Leo Valdez fell to the ground and didn't get back up.

The traitorous demigod was swept away into the battle before he could take out Harley, too, and the youngest son of Hephaestus screamed Leo's name and knelt at his side.

"Leo!" he sobbed.

"Harley," Leo gurgled, tasting blood in his mouth.

"You saved me," Harley murmured, seemingly surprised.

"I promised… I would keep you safe," Leo choked.

 _An oath to keep with a final breath…_

"You didn't have to," Harley cried. "Now, you're going to die."

"It was worth it… because I saved you," Leo told his brother, his voice growing fainter and his breath becoming more labored as dark spots began to dance across his vision.

Harley was silent for a moment before he finally whispered a single question:

"Do you believe in guardian angels?"

Leo frowned. "Not really. Why?"

Harley smiled, weakly. "I do. You want to know why?"

"Why?" Leo rasped.

"Because you're my guardian angel," Harley sobbed. "Don't leave me."

Leo knew it was no use fighting the pull of death dragging him down, down, down… until he reached the Underworld. It hurt him so much, though, to leave his baby brother beyond.

"I can't stay, Harls," Leo murmured. "I need to go. But I will always love you, and I'll see you again some day… just not too soon, okay?"

Harley nodded. "Okay."

"I'm proud of you, little bro. I love you," Leo breathed his last words before the light faded from his eyes, and Harley knew he would soon be with his mom in Elysium.

Harley whimpered as he reached up, slowly, and closed Leo's eyes.

"I love you, too, Leo…"

* * *

 _Should I do the song What Hurts The Most by Rascal Flatts next or should I do In My Veins by Andrew Bell next?_

 _Thanks for reading!_


End file.
